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ROBERT B. VAPDENY.

LJ-,f lmprvemen in Houses.v

l `10,124,396l Patened March5,l872. ""1" f E 1 if i l E? if.

UNTTET STaTns PTTTTT @Tirion Y ROBERT B. VARDEN, OF UNlOlT TOWRHARYLAND.

lNWROVEMENT lsl HOUSES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,396, dated March :3, 1872.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that ROBERT B. VARDEN, of Union Town, in the county of Carroll and State of Maryland, has invented a new and valuable Improvement in House-B uilding 3 and he does hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specification and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon.

The iigures of the drawing represent vertical sectional views of my invention.

My invention has relation to the improved construction of buildings; and has for its object to prevent the destruction or fracture of the walls by the falling of the joists or girders, when the same have been impaired by lire or other causes. My invention has also for its object to provide for the intentional displacement of the girders or joists for repairs, so that the same may be removed without the necessity of breaking or otherwise damaging the walls. My invention, therefore, consists in the novel method of constructing the walls and joists or girders 5 and also consists in the means of fastening the latter, so that when uninjured they shall rem a-in firm and secure in their places and serve to brace the walls as eifectually as the ordinary joists or girders, all as hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawing shows a sectional elevation of a building constructed according to my improved plan. B B are the walls, built of brick or stone, and G D E F the joists or girders. The joists or girders are, of course, timber, the utility of the invention being based chiefly on their destructibility by fire.

The drawing illustrates three different meth- Ods of applying my invention. First, I construct the joists or girders D E with their ends beveled from the top edge outward to the lower edge at an angle of about forty-five de grecs. The joist or girder D is laid in sockets D formed in the walls. The form of these sockets is such as to leave above the ends of thejoist or girder suflicient space to allow the ends to turn out without breaking the walls in the event of the falling of the joist or girder when injured by re or other cause. ln the lower edges of the joist or girder D, near its extremities, notches or grooves a are cut for the purpose of receiving the projecting portions of metallic keys or blocks b which are inserted in thevwalls, and enter the sockets at their lower parts or bases, as shown. These keys serve as fastenings, so that the joists or girders will be enabled to bind and support the walls. The key b may consist of a bar runnin g the full length of the wall, and passing through all the sockets or niches on a line with each other. b1 represents a more secure device for holding the ends of the joist or girder, and which may be used instead of that above described. This device is built with the wall7 and consists of a metallic sh ank or rod runnin g into the niche, and provided with a projection, b2, at one end, to fasten in the joist and wall, and at the other end a plate, b3, to lie against the outer surface ofthe wall.

The joist or girder E is represented as laid according to the second method embraced by my invention. This beam is beveled at its ends the same as the beam D. One end of said beam rests in a niche, d, made in the wall. The back \part. of this niche is curved to coincide with an arc described from the opposite end of the beam. The niche is for the purpose of allowing the end of the joist or girder to be thrown out by the accidental falling of the beam. The object in having it high and curved is to allow the beam to be raised through the niche without breaking or in any way disturbing the wall. The end of the beam is thus raised when the beams are being arranged during the progress of repairs. The opposite end ofthe joist or girder rests in a similar but lower niche, which, in the drawing, is marked d. The niches are made in the walls alternately large and small, instead of all the large niches being in one wall and all the small niches in the other. The object ot' this peculiar arrangement is to have the walls of equal strength. v

The ends ofthe beam E may be fastened by the devices referred to in connection with the beam D. But I have shown in the drawing another fastening which may be preferable in some cases, owing to the possibility of the beam being weakened by cutting a notch or groove in it to receive the fastening. The device which I now refer to consists of a plate or bar, c1, secured to the lower edge of the beam near or at its end, and constructed with a projection, c2, which, when thc beam is putin the niche, en

ters anotch, e3, formed in the Wall at the back part of the niche. This same fastening may be used with all the joists or girders when they are arranged according to any of the methods embraced in my invention.

Above the ends of the beam E I leave a space the same as that mentioned in specifying the arrangement of the beam D, and for the same purpose. I cover this space by means of a brick, one end of which is inserted in the Wall while the other end rests on the top of the beam. Instead of a brick a block of Wood, or its equivalent, may be used. Above the brick or block the niche is to be filled with loose brick, or its equivalent, made even with the surface of the wall to receive the plastering. Now, in case the `)'oist or girder falls, the loose brick above its ends, havin glost their support, immediately tumble out and leave the niches clear.

C represents a joist or girder laid according to the third method included in my invention. This beam is ofthe ordinary form, havin g square ends, but rests in niches having their upper parts inclined, as shown, in such a manner that if burned the ends of the beam will tumble out, or so that either end of the beam may be raised out of the niche without breaking the Wall. The niches above the ends of the beam are to be filled with loose brick, or its equivalent, which will be easily thrown out.

' Vhat I claim as :my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The girder, joist, or transverse beam, having its ends beveled outward and downward, and itted to the Wall in such a manner that the falling of the girder, joist, or beam may not affect the Wall injuriously.

2. The beam E, in combination with the niches el d', al1 constructed substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

3. The beam C, in combination with the i11- clined or beveled wall-niches c, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In the construction of buildings, the joist or girder, laid in arched or beveled wall-niches and covered with loose bricks, iilling, or its equivalent, applied in the Ina-nner and for the purpose specied.

5. The keys or securing devices b b1, or their equivalents, applied to the girders or joists of a building` formed according to either of the methods described, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT B. VARDEN.

Vitnesses CHAs. S. DEVILBrss, J oHN S. DEvILBrss. 

